Manifolding typewriter



June 2, 1953 J. A. B. SMITH MANIFOLDING TYPEWRITER lNl/ENTOR JESSE )4. B SMITH ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet l gfm Filed Dec. 21, 1949 June 2, 1953 J. A. B. SMITH MANIFOLDING TYPEWRITER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1949 uvmvrom JESSE A. B SMITH 9M 07%; lZ I ATTORNEY Patented June 2, 1953 MANIFOLDING TYPEWRITER Jesse A. B. Smith, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 21, 1949, Serial No. 134,192

2 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriting machines known as continuous billing or manifold writing machines, and has reference particularly to devices for gaging and clamping the leading edge of the manifold forms to facilitate retracting the interleaved carbons from a typed set of the forms.

In the present Underwood fanfold billing machines, as exemplified in the Mann Patent No. 2,370,478, the retraction or stripping of the carbon is effected automatically by power-operated means, the control of which is efiected solely by manipulation of a control member or gage bar, by an initial movement of which the typewriter platen is first raised to provide a straight path for the fanfold pack and interleaved carbons, rendering the carbons more readily retractable.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved gaging and clamping means which is particularly adapted for use with the manipulatable member by which control of platen raising and automatic power-retraction of the carbons are effected, to the end that the leading edge of the fanfold pack is securely gripped, with facility, the clamping device being operatable by the same motion of the operators hand which moves the control member to effect raising of the platen and power-retraction of the carbons.

In continuous form writing machines equipped for power-retraction of the carbons, upon completing the typing of a set of forms, the leading edge thereof is advanced to abut an element on the control member or gage bar preparatory to severing said forms from the fanfold strip after retracting the carbons, the advance of the fanfold strip being efiected by the operator gripping and pulling the leading margin between the thumb and fingers of one hand, after which said margin is clamped to the gage bar in readiness to retract the carbons. A further object of the invention is to provide a clamping device which will facilitate this mode of operation by enabling the operator to apply the clamp by the fingers of the same hand by which the typed set of forms is advanced to and held at gaging position.

In such machines the aforesaid gaging and clamping operation may be done in either of two positions of the gaging bar, according to the preference of the typist; that is, the gaging bar may be in its normal position reaching upwardly from the platen or in its forward displaced position extending toward the typist. Accordingly another object resides in providing a clamping de-' vice which may be conveniently operated in either of the said positions of the gage bar and without 2 the operator releasing the grip of the leading edge of the fanfold strip.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part particularly pointed out as the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention proceeds.

In the drawings:

' Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are side elevational views partly in section of a typical continuous form typewriting machine embodying the invention: in Fig. l the machine is shown in its normal condition during typing of the set of forms; Fig. 2 further shows certain mechanism for effecting release of the latched down platen; and Fig. 3 shows the machine in operation of clamping the leading margin of the manifold strip and simultaneously manipulating the gage bar to effect raising of the platen and, subsequently, automatic power-re traction of the carbons,

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged side elevational views of the gaging and clamping device in the conditions attendant the operations of the machines shown respectively in Figs. 1 and 3,

Fig. 6 is a top view of the gaging and clamping device, as viewed looking directly toward the gage bar, and,

Fig. 7 is an end elevation taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

The fanfold typewriter forming the illustrated embodiment of the invention is substantially that shown and described in detail in said Mann Patent No. 2,370,478. Reference being had to said patent, only a brief general description of the machine will be herein given, with particular reference to the mechanisms for effecting release and raising of the platen and control of automatic power-carbon retraction, with which the novel gaging and clamping means are closely related to the end that manipulation of the machine in operations preliminary to severing a finished set of typed forms is materially expedited.

Referring to Fig. 1 the fanfold typewriter includes the usual traveling carriage H] on which a platen i l is rotatably supported for cooperation with feed rolls !2 to effect line feeding of the fanfold web. To enable raising of the platen to an elevated position such as will afford a straightened path for the manifold web, the platen II is journalled in the end members of a sub-frame I3 pivoted at M on the carriage II]. To afford rotation of the platen by the usual platen knobs or line-space mechanism, not shown, a train of gears including a gear i5 is provided as shown and described in said Mann patent.

A continuous manifold strip of printed forms 3 such as bills or the like is indicated at It and issues from a suitable supply at the rear of the machine. The several ply of the manifold strip or web pass over a guide H and extend forwardly therefrom through carbon holders hi on a carbon carrier l9 traveling forth and back relatively to the platen carriage 1-9 on rails 20. The rails 28 are supported on a frame 2i extending rearwardly from the platen carriage and guided at its rear portion for travel laterally with the carriage on a track 22. Carbon sheets 24 issue from the holders [8 where the carbons become interleaved with the ply of the manifold strip 16 and from which they extend forwardly to near the end of the manifold strip as it passes down around the platen and up past the typing line. As shown in Fig. 1 the carbon sheets 24 terminate short of the leading edge of the fanfold strip it to provide a margin 25 by which the fanfold strip may be gripped without rethe platen carriage, has secured thereto a gage 1 bar 3 which normally assumes the inclined position shown in Fig. 1, and may be swung forwardlyla limited extent to the position shown in Big. thus eifecting a corresponding rocking movement of shaft .3 9. At the end of shaft H adjacent the hook arm 2? is an arm 33 which pivotally carries a dog 36, a notched end of engages a pin on the hook arm El, under influence of a spring 35.

As later described the gage bar 32 functions, preparatory to severing finished set of typed in gaging the advancement of the fanfold web so that the bottom edge of said set of forms registers with tearing knife 35. The gage bar ,5; also constitutes the manipulatable member by which the release of the platen subframe is the subsequent raising of the platen is effected. The release of the hook arms 27 from pins .28}, zto enable raising of the platen by forwardly swinging the sub-frame it about its piv- @514, is effected by raising the gage bar 32 to the F ligl faf ;p 'tien. The resultant rocking of shaft 3;} sw ngs the arm 3'3 counterclockwise demise Fla 2 o iti s h the o 34. i en a ement with t e p n on hook arm 21. au the latter to swing rearwardly to the position shown Fig. 3. 1; n be noted that the dog by its frictional engagement with the pin of arm '21, has swung about its pivot against the tens n 0f Spring 35. As soon as the gage bar is released, the dog 34 will be swung by its ti is free 0? the sin on arm 21 d said will be spring-pressed to normal position in readiness to reengage the pin 28 as soon as the platen sub-frame I; is restored to normal pcsit ion. the released gage bar 32 swings back tp its position of 115, 12 the corresponding swing of time; will cause the dog 3 1 to reengage the pin on hook arm 21.

To eff ect automatic retraction of the carbons a l, the carbon carrier 19, having traveled forward during the typing of successive lines and subsequent full advancement of the finished set offorms, is drawn rearward by power-operated means now to be described. A belt 37, to

which the carrier I9 is attached at 38, travels over guide means including a pulley 39 and has its ends wound around and secured to a drum 40. Power from a constantly rotating shaft 4| is transmitted by gears 42, 43 to rotate drum 46 when a clutch, not shown, between shaft 4! and gear 42 is engaged. Upon the power-rotation of drum 40 the travel of belt :3?! pulls the carbon carrier l9 rearwardly a predetermined extent as determined by engagement of carrier I9 with a stop 44 which, through means including a link llfi causes disengagement of the powerdrive clutch, thus terminating the rearward, carbon retracting travel of carrier Hi. This mechanism for power-retraction of the carbons,

just'described may be as shown in detail in said Mann patent. The extent of carbon retraction, as determined by the rearward movement of the carrier 19 to the limit of stop 44, is such that the leading edge of the carbons will now be displaced from the leading edge of the succeeding set of forms by an offset indicated at 25 such as to provide a gripping margin at the'next set of forms. With reference to Fig. 3, the tearing line for the finished set of forms, which thereafter becomes the leadingedge of the next set of forms, is that in registry with the bevelled edge of knife 36 and the leading edge of the carbons therefore will, after retraction, terminate below the knife edge by a distance equal to the border 25 shown in Fig. 1. Thus, the carbon carrier IS, the supporting and guiding structure 20, 2! and the retraction-limiting means M, 45 constitute carbon-sheet moimting means for collating the carbon sheets 24 with the manifold web it to provide said gripping margin.

As shown and'described in said Mann patent, clutch-operating mechanism is provided to cause the engagement and disengagement .of the clutch between shaft 1H and gear t2, said -mechanism being effective to engage the clutch as an .incident to swinging'the sub-frame 13 further forwardly about pivots M in raising the platen to a position where a straight path .is provided for the manifold web. Said clutch-operating mechanism, not shown, is operable to close the clutch by mechanism including a link 47 connected to said clutch closing mechanism. Link 47 is operatively connected, by acra-nk "43, a stub shaft 59 and an arm 50, to a second link 51, the forward end of which is articulated to a member 52 connected to the end member of sub-frame 13 to swing therewith.

The train of mechanism 47- 52, in cooperation with the clutch-operating mechanism, is adapted to close said clutch at a predetermined point in the swinging of sub-frame "3, preferably as the platen H approaches'its fully raised position affording the straight path for the manifold web. The closing of said clutch, however, may occur at an earlier point in the swinging of sub-frame 13, as for example that slightly beyond the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the raising of the platen I I free of feed rolls 52 has released their gripping effect on the carbons and enables their powerretraction at such position if desired.

It may be here noted with reference to Fig. 1 that the link as, extending forwardly from the retraction-limiting stop 44, has its forward endconnected to the clutch-operating mechanism. Movement of said link 45. rearwardly, by the engagement of carbon carrier IS with the .stop 44, causes said clutch-operating mechanism to dis engage the clutch and thus effect termination of the retractive travel of carbon carrier I9. Referring to Figs. 4-7, the gaging and clamping device will now be described. A U-shaped element 54 provides a mount for said device to hold same in selective positions along the gage bar 32. The two legs 55 and 56 of said element are slotted as shown in Fig. '7 to slidably fit the gage bar, and a thumb screw 51 threaded into the web of element 54 holds the device in its adjusted position. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the web of element 54 extends laterally and upwardly and supports a thumb rest 58 closely adjacent the gage bar 32 and fiush with its upper face. For reasons later explained, the thumb piece 58 forms an extension of the gage bar 32 at the portion of the latter adjacent and just below the leg 55.

The lower leg 55 has two lugs 65 which support a pivot 61 for a clamp element 62 having two ears 53 bent therefrom to receive the pivot. The portion of clamp element 62 extending upwardly from the pivot cars 63 is shaped to provide a broad, finger-or-thumb-engaging area 64, Fig. 6. At its lower portion, clamp element 62 has a rounded bend terminating in a clamp jaw 55 which, in the un-operated position of said element shown in Fig. 4 is parallel with and clear of the upper face of gage bar 32. A leaf spring 65 secured to the lower face of the finger piece 64 has its free end engaged with the leg 55 of element 54 and is biased to urge the clamping element 62 about its pivot to the position shown in Fig. 4, said spring being relaxed at that position. As shown in Fig. 6 the pivot elements Stand 63 as well as the clamping jaw 55 are offset so as to cup-y only the leftward part of the gage bar, leaving a substantial area at the right thereof for purposes later explained. As seen in Figs. 6 and '7, clamping element 62 extends leftwardly from the finger piece 64 and then downwardly in a flange from which extends a second finger piece 68, the outline of which is preferably as shown in Fig. 6. The finger piece 68, extending beneath and substantially rightward of the gage bar 32, affords a conveniently accessible fingerengaging area at the lower side of the gage bar 32. The contour of the upper edge of finger piece 68 is such as to afford clearance for the typists fingers as they move upward along the gage bar in advancing the manifold web.

In one mode of operation, after completing the typing of the set of forms and preparatory to severing said forms from the manifold web, the leading margin of the manifold web, having been advanced during the typing to somewhere near the position. shown in Fig. 1, is gripped between the thumb and index finger of the typists right hand. Simultaneously the other fingers of that hand engage behind the gage bar 32 and raise it to the position shown in Fig. 3 so as to unlatch the platen sub-frame I3, after which further forward swinging of the gage bar 32 swings said sub-frame to raise the platen and thus straighten the manifold web. At a suitable point in the swinging of sub-frame l3 prior to that at which the automatic retraction of the carbon is instituted, the leading edge of the web, still gripped by the typists thumb and index finger, is pulled forward or up and passed under the clamp jaw 65 until said edge abuts the face of leg 55. This gaging position of the manifold web may be maintained by the pressure of the typists thumb bearing down against the gage bar 32 and the thumb rest 58, while the typists index finger now engages behind the gage bar to further swing the gage bar forward as required. The work web is now in advanced position, in readiness to be clamped, which is effected by the typists other fingers engaging under the finger piece 68, to swing the clamp jaw 65 into gripping engagement with the manifold web as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

It should be noted that the raising of the gage bar 32, the swinging of sub-frame l3 toward the position in which the platen II is fully raised, the advancement of the manifold web to the gaging position as described, and the clamping of same at said position, may all be accomplished by the typists one hand in such close sequence as to amount to substantially a single operation.

After the clamping of the manifold web, further swinging of sub-frame l3 to fully raise the platen, causes closing of the clutch-operating mechanism through the operating train 4152, by which the automatic retraction of the carbons 25 is effected. Upon terminating the retractive travel of carbon carrier l9 by stop M and link 45 causing the clutch-operating mechanism to disengage the clutch, the platen sub-frame i3 is now restored to its normal position, Fig. 2, after which finger pressure on the clamp element 62 is released and same swings to its Fig. 4 position releasing the manifold web. The carbons having been retracted from the finished set of forms, the latter may now be severed from the manifold web by tearing off along the knife 35. The typewriter is now in readiness to start the typing of the next set of forms as soon as that set is advanced to the first line of typing.

In the foregoing description of operation it is assumed that the automatic retraction of the carbons 24 is efiected only as the platen approaches its fully raised position. In that instance the manifold web and interleaved carbons are advanced to the gaging position before the platen assumes, and while moving to, that position. Upon completing the typing of a set of forms, however, it may be desirable to advance said forms to gaging position by rotating the platen either manually with the usual platen knobs or by a series of repeat line-feed operations. In this way the leading edge of the manifold web, riding up the gage bar 32, passes under the clamp jaw 65 into abutment with the leg 55 in readiness to be clamped. In this mode of operation, the clamp may be applied by the typists fingers engaging behind the finger piece 58 and pressing same forward and, by a continued forward pressure thereon, swing the gage bar forward and downward to effect the raising of the platen and subsequent power-carbon retraction as described.

The gaging and clamping device may also be used advantageously in continuously form typewriters in which retraction of the carbons is effected by manually moving the carbon carrier I9. In such machines the carbon carrier is has a handle which extends forwardly at the left side of the machine for convenient access to the typists left hand, the right hand being em ployed to swing the platen sub-frame [3 forward and advance the manifold web to gaging position. In such machines the platen is usually completely raised, so that a straightened path for the manifold web is provided, before the web is advanced to clamping position. Therefore the operation of clamping the advanced web takes place when the gage bar 32 is in its forward, nearly horizontal position. Since the clampin element 62 provides two finger pieces 64 and 68,

Cone :above and the anther below the gage :bar 32, the typist may suit Sher convenience and use either cone or both ifinger pieces as desired, since after applying the clamp .it is necessary to swing the :gage bar upwardly and rearwardly to its normal position while the clamp :is held in its web-gripping position.

What is claimed is:

'1. In a manifolding rtypewriter having avgage bar, a clamping device comprising a mounting element on said gage bar, a clamping element having pivot connection to said mounting element at the front of "the gage bar and having a jaw adapted to clamp a :manifold web at the gage bar front, said 'pivotal connection :and said clamping element jaw being arranged toward one edge of the gage bar to overlie ionly 'iaiesser portion of the front thereof, "said imounti-ng ele- :ment including a thumb'rest flush with :the gage bar and 'forming a lateral extension 'theretn at -its edge opposite the clamping element pivot and jaw, and said clamping element providing "a finger piece straddling the rear face :of the gage bar and adapted to apply the clamp by pressing said finger piece toward the gage bar.

2. In a manifolding typewriter having amem -ber extending upwardly from the typing point, said member being manipulatable forwardly for effecting movement of the platen "to provide a straightened path forthe'man-ifoldtv'eb to facili- 3 Ttate retraction-of the interleaved carbons; a: de-

vice on :said manipulatalzvle member for clamping vthe leadingedge of the manifold web while Lretracting the earbons, said-device'comprising a mounting .e1ement,-a clamping element pivoted on said mounting-element at the front of said manipulatable member'and having a.jaw adjacent said pivot adapted .to clamp the web at vthe front of the manipulatable member, said clam-ping element having a finger piece extending upwardly from the pivot at the :frontof the manipulatable member, and asecond finger piece air-the back .ofsaid member and extending-downwardly iromsaidpivot, whereby the thumb and fingers "of the 'operators hand -may engage respectively the two finger pieces of the clamping element to apply the "clamping jaw and simultaneouslymanipulate the member forwardly for effecting said platen movement.

JESSE -A. B. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1;581128 Smith June 1, 19 26 1,360,950 'Plaitt May 31, 1932 12,318,314 Jackson May fl, I943 2370,47 8 Mann Feb. 27, 1945 

